Georgia tight end Orson Charles opts for NFL draft

Georgia tight end Orson Charles opts for NFL draft

Georgia junior tight end Orson Charles announced Wednesday that he will skip his senior season and enter April's NFL draft.

Photo by
Associated Press
/Times Free Press.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

Where it stands right now in the SEC in terms of players leaving early for the NFL or coming back:

GOING

Georgia TE Orson Charles

Ole Miss OT Bobby Massie

Mississippi State DT Fletcher Cox

South Carolina WR Alshon Jeffery

South Carolina CB Stephon Gilmore

STAYING

Alabama OT Barrett Jones

Alabama OT D.J. Fluker

Arkansas RB Knile Davis

Auburn TE Philip Lutzenkirchen

Auburn RB Onterio McCalebb

Georgia NT John Jenkins

Georgia LB Jarvis Jones

Georgia S Bacarri Rambo

LSU DE Sam Montgomery

Georgia tight end Orson Charles had no problem Wednesday afternoon announcing his decision to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft.

"To tell you the truth, it wasn't very difficult at all," Charles said. "It's been a blessing to be in this situation, and I thank God for allowing me to be in this situation. Either way, I wouldn't have been wrong, but the one reason I felt I should enter the draft is that I have met a majority of my goals."

Several hours after Charles went public with his choice, Bulldogs safety Bacarri Rambo elected to return for his senior year. Rambo led the SEC this season with eight interceptions and was an Associated Press first-team All-American.

Charles had 45 receptions for 574 yards and five touchdowns this past season and was a finalist for the John Mackey Award, which is given annually to college football's top tight end. The 6-foot-3, 241-pounder from Tampa was an All-SEC selection and was tabbed first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association.

Being a Mackey finalist and an All-American were two of his goals, according to Charles, who becomes the 21st Georgia player in the Mark Richt era to leave early for the pros.

Charles said he came to his decision Tuesday. He sought advice from former Bulldogs tight ends Ben Watson and Randy McMichael, and he said former Tampa Bay and Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy has had the biggest impact.

"We've talked almost every day," Charles said.

Charles amassed 1,370 receiving yards in three seasons, the most ever for a Georgia tight end, and leaves behind a position that will be headed this spring by Arthur Lynch and Jay Rome. Lynch didn't have any receptions this past season as a redshirt sophomore, while Rome was a freshman who redshirted.

Addressing rumors

Bulldogs defensive coordinator Todd Grantham issued a statement Wednesday to address rumors that he was returning to the NFL. Grantham said that he and athletic director Greg McGarity are finalizing details on a contract extension.

"We have the program headed in the right direction, and I want to be a part of bringing Georgia a championship," he said. "My desire is to be at UGA for a very long time."

VanGorder introduced

Former Georgia and Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder was introduced Wednesday as Auburn's defensive coordinator. VanGorder went 2-2 against Auburn when he coached the Bulldogs, losing his last encounter when the 2004 Tigers won 24-6 at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

"They had Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown and Jason Campbell and that group," he said. "That was one great team, and I remember the electricity that day was just unbelievable."

Auburn head coach Gene Chizik reiterated that he targeted VanGorder from the start and said he was the only candidate he talked with. Chizik was Auburn's defensive coordinator in 2002-04, which coincided with VanGorder's final three seasons in Athens, and the two have mutual friends from Central Florida.

VanGorder was UCF's defensive coordinator from 1995 to '97, and Chizik had that job from 1998 to '2001.

Though it has been several years since he had to recruit, VanGorder believes he will be strong in that area with three sons currently in college. He said he is still a "4-3 guy" but that the Tigers will be multiple in their schemes.